I have a REALLY good reason I've been away... No. Really...

Um.
Well.

Way to keep up with the blog there Kristi.

Unlike every other time that I've checked out of the blog-o-spere, 

I DO have some a pretty good reason this time:

Oh yes!

A little person is invading our home in mid April and we could not possibly be more thrilled!

With every little wiggle and kick, I am more and more humbled that the Lord chooses to bring life into the world this way...  

I feel like He's letting us aid Him in the most amazing miracle =)

Don't get me wrong, I have learned that pregnancy is faaaaar from glamorous but console myself in those less than red carpet moments by remembering that I am GROWING A HUMAN.

I mean.

A REAL, LIVE, LITTLE PERSON!!!

It about knocks me speechless.... which is impressive in and of itself ;)

I think we are very close to a final name decision 

(Side note - Naming him and choosing a stroller have been the hardest part of this whole thing!  Choosing to bring life into the world was a BREEZE compared to the 6,327 stroller choices and the fact that everyone from our families to the grocery store check out lady has a name opinion!  Seriously people...  Rant over.)

and can't wait to share that with y'all!

Stay tuned... 

If life with just me and my rock star man wasn't crazy enough, 

adding a third little personality is gonna be BONKERS =)

The Great Moving Adventure of 2013

Hello.

Sorry about that little unintentional sabbatical but apparently the local internet company didn't see the urgency in me being connected to the World Wide Web at our new apartment.  I tried to explain that I have 10's of people who depend on my nonsense in their lives but apparently the lady I was talking to wasn't one of them.

Anywho.

We have officially moved into our new home here in Nashville and - to be brief... I LOVE IT.  Since I'm sure you've been chewing your nails to the quik waiting for my return I'll catch you up real fast like and use photos =) You. Are. Welcome.

I spent a ton of time being useful. And posing awkwardly in my papa's old hard hat. Which was totally not useful =)

I took a little break mid week to hit one of our faaaaavorite watering holes in the Lowcountry and see some faces that I miss oh so much =)

I can't even tell you how much I love glancing around and being surrounded by pretty Carolina flags and what not.... I even treated myself to a new hat to hide the crazy that was my hair commemorate the move =)

I came across some photos that would clearly fall into the category of "The Awkward Years"

and went through four peoples lifetime worth of stuff from the attic.

I said goodbye to the best backyard in history

and the most amazing wallpaper to ever grace a wall.

On a more serious note... 

As ready as we were to move on to a new phase of life here in Nashville, selling the home was difficult for sure.  

This was the house my mom grew up in, where I had just about every one of my childhood birthday parties, where my growth chart was still prominently placed on a door frame, and even the house where Jonathan proposed.  I got ready for my senior prom in that bathroom and 99.9 % of my family memories take place on 6 Paula Drive.  I don't think I had a friend in my lifetime that didn't spend time at Nana's and I can still remember my sweet Papa staying up around the clock to keep the generator running after Hurricane Hugo.... It was home and leaving it was hard. Needless to say, I did shed a tear when it was time for the final walk through and, honestly, can't think on it too long or I may find myself crying now BUT it was time.  I'm glad to know a new family will have years of memories within those walls and I'm grateful we could get it all warmed up for them =)

Ok...moving on....

After a week of packing and going through stuff and questioning why anyone let me buy these:

Seriously. Who is gonna fess up to letting those happen?

We took a few awesome "in front of the UHaul" pics and hit the road =)

SOMEONE is obviously going for husband of the year because we ended up making a little pitstop at Ikea. Yea. He loves me.

The damage there was minor really and we rolled into Nashville late that night... Bright and early on Friday, we drug our half dead selves out of bed and began the final phase of The Great Move of 2013 - Moving into the new apartment!

WOOO HOOOOOO!

We are still trying to unpack and get settled but I can feel the 'awesome' already settling in.  Once you can see the carpet and we buy a couch =) I'll share some photos!

Insta-Kristi Photo Dump

I, along with the rest of the free world, have a compete crush on all things Instagram! To be fair, I'm a little obsessed with all things social media and go though phases where I use The Tweeter

 like I'm getting paid for it! 

(To be clear.... I am not, in fact, getting paid for it)

(Also, yes, I know it's called Twitter but I like calling it The Tweeter...sorry for the fact that I'm sure that's annoying...)

I loooove reading other peoples Instagram photo dump posts and thought -

"Hey. Kristi. You should copy that idea!"

Soooooooo..... Here ya go! Some Instagram highlights from recent days =)

If you want to follow my hijinks in real time you can find the link to my Instagram on the right!

As I mentioned Monday, I'm a liiiiitle bit of a crazy football fangirl and so getting a new Carolina sticker for my car put me on cloud nine.... Or maybe I should say cloud 21 since that is the jersey number of my fav Gamecock =)

(Gooooo Marcus!)

The Lord hasn't brought any babies our way yet but he's given me the privilege of having a precious little one to practice on :) I like to put her in giant hairbows because - say it with me southern ladies - the bigger the bow the closer to God. ( Fairly sure that's not in the Bible but am positive its implied)

Sometimes I get bored in the car. This is the result. Jonathan loves it.

Finding the joy people....finding the joy... A sweet gift from a friend helps remind me :)

I. Miss. The. Water. Sometime around last August I reached the point where, if one more person told me the lake was the same as the ocean, I was going to have a full on Real Housewives of Somewhere level meltdown. The lake and I are working on our relationship though and I think, by this summer, I might be willing to even to dip my toes in the water without rolling my eyes.

Hushpuppies are my love language. End of story :)

Do you love Instagram? The Tweeter? Give me a follow so I can follow back!

The Grace Gift

Grace.

It's a word and concept that anyone who has grown in or around church has heard countless times.

It's so abstract but yet so concrete.

It is pivotal to everything we believe as Christians and a vital element to extend to a hurting world as we attempt to live as Jesus did.

This past week, I was helping a precious lady at work choose a gift.  We looked at several goodies and she settled on a beautiful jewelry piece with the word "Grace" engraved on it.  As I stood by for her to think and to answer questions, she threw out a question I didn't see coming.

"What exactly is grace?"

Um. Woah. Ok.

My answer?

Grace, to me, is defined in context of my relationship with Jesus... Grace is like an outstretched hand that is continually available to us.  It is a soft place to land in the moments when we need forgiveness and for the love and gentleness of a Savior to put our hurting hearts back together.

One struggle I have with this gift of grace is battling the idea that it can be earned or, likewise, lost... It's in the moments when I need to encounter the healing grace of Jesus the most, that I am usually the most convinced it's not available to me.

I rattle off a list of countless things I've done wrong in the past days and convince myself that - yep. The grace of the Father isn't mine for the taking today.  I've failed too big. I've fallen too far.

Nothing is farther from the truth friends...

The gift of grace is ours always and has an infinite shelf life.  It can't be earned and it is NEVER withheld from us as punishment.  Rest in the truth that the grace of Jesus is complete, and full, and ALWAYS yours to encounter.

"My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness...:

2 Corinthians 12:9

Miscellany Monday - The "I've Been a Slacker" Edition

Well HELLLLO there friends.....

Obviously, I took a little hiatus last week and would love to give you a great reason such as being on a fabulous tropical vacation or a social calendar that was packed hanging with some famous (real life) friends buuuut.....

alas...

I was just a slacker - Sorry about that =)

(I'm sure that y'all were all losing sleep over the lack of my endless rambling in your life...at least that what's I like to tell myself ...)

Since - CHOO CHOO - I'm back on the blog train, I thought I'd kick it in gear with some random Monday musings...

* I bought the most beautiful new Koozie last weekend to replace one of the 73 that I've left scattered in various places across our fine city. 

(I have trouble keeping up with things...) 

As I was checking out I got a question that I am CERTAIN only happens in the south.

"Would you like it monogrammed?"

Um. Huh?

As a born and bred southerner, I have the utmost love and respect for all things monogrammed but - my koozie? Really?  Welcome to the South folks...welcome.

*  I am really missing the water these days...Spent a few quiet moments at the lake near our house the other day and it slightly soothed the itch buuuuuut not totally.  

Not to mention that it was FUH-REEZING and there were a few too many geese nearby for me to fully relax.  Geese can be hostile and unpredictable....kind of like teenage girls.

* This past week my love for The Chronicles of Narnia was reignited...Someone please tell me I wasn't the only one weeping hysterically crying when Aslan appeared in the sunrise! I may have had a full on glory fit!  Here are few favorite quotes that I have been OBSESSED with lately...

* My girl Kate made a few appearances this week and I have every intention to post about it in sickening detail...get pumped!

*  Why won't winter let up? I mean seriously... This is the forecast here in Nashville for the next couple days...

Snow? Winter, your like a bad hacking cough... let up already!

And since I just blogged intentionally about the weather that must mean two things:

I'm either 98 years old OR I should stop typing =)

Link up below:

 

Ten years ago today...

10 years ago this happened...

Words can't even begin to express how grateful I am for this man and the last decade of life we've shared.  I consider it a priveldge to have grown up with him and to be the one he comes home to night after night.  While we may not know what the next ten years and beyond will bring, I know do know who will be at my side the entire time.

Jonathan, 

     Thank you for loving me so completely and adoring even the most annoying of my habits...  

You are my hero and the bravest person I know - I mean .... only a man with nerves of steel would have married this bag of crazy =)  Sharing life with you is the best decision I have ever made and I can't wait to grow wrinkly and old with you...

Here is to a lifetime more of memories, chinese buffet dinners, and grand adventures in far off countries...

I can't wait to drag you to more concerts that you have little interest in going to but you pretend to care about because you like me and my overly sized sunglasses...

Thank you for taking me to approximately 3,492 Edwin Mccain concerts because we are both ridiculous fans...

and for putting up with my unique set of ridiculous habits that appear only when we are flying, such as making you stay awake until the pilot is done talking...

You make me laugh...

and appreciate life in ways I didn't think was possible.  

Thank you for letting me wake you up way way too early for breakfast runs to Cracker Barrel and when I turn into a 5 year old because it's snowed outside...

I think you are the most talented musicians I know and am honored to be your wife..

I love you Jonathan...

Love, Kristi

Thoughtful Thursday - Change of Plans...

So.
I had big plans today to share with y'all some of the awesome goodness that I felt like I walked away from the weekend away with.

Well.

Apparently my camera and computer are giving each other the silent treatment and are not supportive of said plan as they are giving me a FIT trying to upload my photos! Sooooo, that post is now on the back burner until at least tomorrow when I will have hopefully been able to reason with the electronics in my life.

(Don't hold your breath as I am fairly convinced that trying to reason with electronics takes the same level of skill as hostage negation....)

In lieu of telling you about my QT with Jesus this weekend, I'm going to rattle on for a sec about this book:

 Oh gracious... It has been a looooong time since a devotional style book has impacted me the way this one has. (Shout out to Elly for turning me on to this gem!)   As someone who believes whole heartily in the super relational aspect of God's heart, I am beyond touched and ministered too by the first person way this book is written.  

(Side note... the story behind it is PHENOMENAL! Get your google on...)

 I can't even begin to tell you how many time I've sat, slack jawed, in complete shock by how closely the day's message applies to me in that. very. second.

I mean... if I didn't know better I'd just about swear that Sarah was following me around =)

I really urge you to check it out if you can... 

Tuesday, was yet another of those days where I opened up the book and sat in shocked awe as the conviction of the words soaked into my heart...

The phrase "Secret things belong to the Lord, and future things are secret things" about knocked me to my knees.  While it is right to listen and seek the Lord on your next season in life, that line can become fuzzy when we suddenly can't settle into His peace without knowing it ALL.  

Those things aren't always ours to know but He is always ours to trust.

 Oh, how often I have missed the journey and doubted His promise to care for me... My words may say YES but my actions and the fear and anxiety in my heart can speak so differently...

Do you read Jesus Calling? Have you been impacted by a book lately that we should know about?

Tennessee Weekend Adventures

This past weekend we hit the road for a little time away with some fabulous friends from South Cackalacky.  We ventured about an hour and a half from Nashvegas to the quant little town of Monteagle, TN and.... my.  goodness..... it was beautiful.

Now to be clear - 

The Carolina coast will always hold my heart.

That said, views like this make it hard to not to think that God was showing off a little when he got to the mountains.

Soaking up moments in the fresh mountain air made for some great time with Jesus...

(Plan to jabber about that Thursday so hopefully you'll check back)

And some wonderful time to just breathe and reconnect with some of the dearest friends we have.  They're the kind of friends who, at this point, know too much soooooo I'm keeping them =)

Their precious babies think we are a rock star Aunt and Uncle and my knack for making brownie mix appear whenever I'm within a 10 mile radius can often, for at least a moment or two, put me a notch above Jonathan...

Not to mention I make a great pack mule and can carry a toddler for miles uphill...

Oh words can't even express how much I adore this child....

I was given the most beautiful piece of original artwork...

And this was my view every morning...

*sigh* Sometimes God is too good to me....

In a sugar coma yet?

Happy Valentine's Day!  Here's to hoping you spend the day loving wildly on those around you and eating entirely too much chocolate!

If you need some help with the eating too much chocolate thing, here is a fav recipe of mine for consuming 3,461 calories in one sitting =) !

Molten Chocolate Cakes.

You need...

* 3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

*  1 stick butter... that is about 1/2 cup

*  1 tsp vanilla extract

*  1 cup powdered sugar

*  2 egss

*  1 egg yolk

*  6 Tbsp all purpose flour

What ya need to do...

*  Preheat the oven to 425 and grease 4 small ramekins or other smallish oven proof container.  I often just use a small glass brownie dish but the individual servings are super cute =)  I've even heard about people using their muffin tins!

*  Melt the butter and chocolate stirring until nice and smooth.

*  Add in the vanilla and powdered sugar and blend well.

*  Whisk in the eggs and yolk.

*  Blend in the flour and then pout evenly into your containers.

*  Bake those little bad boys for about 15 minutes until they are firm... The centers should stay soft.

Ready for the hard part??

*Let them stand for about 10 minutes before diving in.  I'll tell ya... that's the tough part =)  Once they are cooled enough, invert them onto a plate and serve.... or keep them all for yourself. Whatever. I won't tell.  Some people get really fancy with the serving part and dust powdered sugar or fancy whipped cream.  A good vanilla ice cream does the trick in our house =)

"We love because He first loved us..."

1 John 4:19

Weary Warriors...

Thank y'all for letting me babble on yesterday about the wonder that is any red carpet event =)  I am not one to mince words and I think I could've kept babbling on yesterday if not for that pesky need to do other piddly stuff... like buy groceries. Well... In case I completely wore you out yesterday, today's ramblings might help that some =)

I know that I am NOT the only one who ever has those days where you are just flat worn out.  You just feel like someone has pulled the plug on every storehouse of energy - spiritual, physical, and emotional - that you have.  While I joke about my longwinded need to breakdown every sequin and piece of spandex on the red carpet yesterday being exhausting, we would only be so lucky if my rambling was the most difficult thing we encountered.  There are days that feel like they are concocted of 24 hours of struggle and not much rest and, sometimes, those days seem to string themselves together into seasons of struggle that leave us just. plain. weary.

In moments and seasons of fatigue, it brings comfort to know that our King and Saviour is aware that this life would, on occasion, take it all out of us.  He knew there would be moments of complete and utter exhaustion and, in His lovingkindness, He spoke to those days, hours, and seasons over and over again in the Word.

If the sun rose today on one of those days or seasons of weariness, I pray the verses below bring comfort to a tired heart and begin to resuscitate an exhausted soul.  Let the truth of these promises be a balm to your spirit.  Meditate on them. Read them aloud (Seriously.... reading them aloud is a powerful tool!)  Write them down and post them on your mirror or by your bed.  However you need to, soak them in.  Your king knew there would be tired days, burned out moments, and weary hearts.  He knew and He didn't leave you to figure it out alone......

“Come to me all who are weary and heavy laden and I will give you rest…” 

~ Matt. 11:28

" I will lie down and sleep in peace, for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety..." ~ Psalm 4:8

"The Lord replied," My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest."

~ Ex. 33:14

"My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever..."

~ Ps. 73:26

"My soul finds rest in God alone; my salvation comes from Him.  He alone is my rock and salvation; He is my fortress.  I will never be shaken."

~ Psalm 62:1-2

2011

There's something so refreshing about a new year.

I am not one to make elaborate resolutions but do appreciate the time to reflect and re-evaluate....

This past year has been somethin' =) Sometimes that is the best way to sum things up and it's a common one to hear in the south - SO - I'll just leave it at that.

This year has been SOMETHIN'.

There are so many things that I want to accomplish and begin to accomplish in the next 365 days....

I want to know more of who I am and who the Lord has meant me to be. I think my vision of that has gotten fuzzy in places and I am looking forward to learning more of how to tune out other voices and opinions and focusing on the Voice that started it all.

We are throwing ourselves into really pursuing the musical talents that just ooze from my precious husband and I look forward to that....and I believe in it so much that I am more than willing to charge in that direction.

I want to make stuff =) and take more pictures. I thought about doing that 365 day photo challenge but , let's be honest....that would NEVER happen =) We're lucky if I manage to put on shoes that match everyday.

I'll leave it there for now...

with two quick asides=)

First, if you sew or maybe want to - you HAVE to have this book. I received it as a gift and am OBSESSED. I'll post pictures when I actually complete a project.

Second, has anyone seen that new show "Bridely Plasty"?? I am beyond shocked. If you have no idea what I am talking about, google it and join me in the "HOLYCOWWHEREISOURWORLDHEADED?!?!" moment.

Being Crafty

I think it has been well established that I have a tendency for flitting from one idea to another with an occasional lack of follow through....


Take for example my short lived career as a Penny Whistle player...


Go back with me to somewhere around 2004. I was recently married and had just found this CD as a recent addition to my CD collection:
I LOVED it immediately and played it on repeat all. the. time. (I also have a tendency for being a tad obsessive. That's another blog post entirely.) I also quickly decided, like all sane people, that I just had to learn to play that Penny Whistle that is so prominent in the recording. Now, why I didn't become obsessed with moving to Ireland or building a castle like the one of the front cover I will never know. But - alas - I chose to play the Penny Whistle.

Now is a great time to point out that the extent of musical career starts and ends with a rousing performance on the recorder in 3rd grade. Watch out Yanni....Here I come.

My sweet husband, who is a RIDICULOUSLY talented musician, took it upon himself to teach me to play. (Did I mention that we were newly married?) He bought me a shiny little whistle on a trip to the mountains and naively bravely undertook teaching me.

I was the proud owner of a "Teach Yourself The Penny Whistle" book and CD within 2 weeks and, six years later, I couldn't put my hands on the Penny Whistle is a face to face meeting with Rachel Zoe depended on it.

Hope you enjoyed that little story =) I drug you with me down memory lane to say this:

I always want to be crafty and creative. I want to play music, knit things, paint things, and just generally be like Martha Stewart meets Janis Joplin meets Laura Ingalls Wilder. (Wow - that's quite a trinity of women! I'd love to be at THAT kitchen table! Laura could have widdled it out of a tree, Martha couls set it with natural gourds and Janis....well, I'm not sure how helpdful she would be but MAN how mush fun!) I want to be able to take things in my house and turn them into brand new things. I spend LOTS of time looking at blogs of creative powerhouses and am determined to spend more time making cool stuff and less time reading about other people making cool stuff.

So - buckle up people. Your about to see some major creativity flow on this red carpet!!

PS - I just reread this blog pre-publish and am pretty sure it makes no sense at all. I refuse to delete it and start over though. I will follow through with it's publication....aaaaaaaaand PUBLISH.

Wellies

I think that I am about to become a believer in global warming...

It was almost 80 degrees here today!!! Can I just say that it is really difficult to spread Christmas cheer ( I work part time in retail...) when it is a gazillion degrees outside!! To further test my resolve to be joyful no matter the circumstance =), the AC at work was on the blink today....any by blink I mean not working =)

On a positive weather note, it did rain profusely today and everyone in my world KNOWS what that means....

WELLIES!!!!!!!!!!!!

On any day that the weather man even thinks it might, possibly, perhaps, maybe think about drizzling, I proudly sport the best wellies you have ever seen!! They are crazy with polka dots (yes, I know I am a grown-up) in all different colors!! As a side note, I did buy them new, no thrift boots, but on MAJOR clearance at target.com!!! There may have been a reason they were on clearance but that's a subject for another day.....

I can't tell you how often I've worn them only for the sun to come out in defiance of my fashion statement. To say that one feels silly wearing rain boots, no matter how fabulous, in sunny weather is a tad of an understatement. People always tell me they like them, including a few kids that I see regularly.....and, when children comment on your fashion choices, there is always a small voice in your head that wonders if the fact a First grader likes your shoes is a good thing =) Either way, I love them and was super stoked to get to wear them today and, as a bonus, it actually rained! Well done weather man!!!

I think the rain is supposed to stop tonight and winter is going to return....which is really good because it takes alot of effort to work those wacky boots into a real adult outfit and I'm not sure I'm up for it two days in a row =)

Sometimes I wish I knew our neighbors a little better....

If I did then I would most certainly invite them to the daily show entitled "Kristi Trying to Get Out of the House". I couldn't help but laugh out loud to myself this morning as I sort of tumbled out of our door to the waiting day....It's a little Kramer-Like, my daily exit from our house. It always involves me (I know, duh.) , my giant purse, an equally large bag - o - random stuff, a lunch bag ( a very sofisticated lunch bag, may I add =) No My Little Pony here.... ) , and at least one sweatshirt/jacket/extra thing to cover myself with should the tempeture suddenly drop. My daily departure also tends to involve at least one, if not two, trips back into the house to get things I forgot/dropped/didn't know I needed.

I have to confess that I am not ALWAYS laughing at the tumbling act - like exit...sometimes it makes me grumpy...On THOSE mornings, I have to take a deep breath and work fervently to take every thought captive....It would also prove dangerous for anyone that I saw laughing at my sling shot start on those grumpy mornings. Just thought you should know that in case you ever make a showing.... =)

It often makes me think that I need a larger bag to hold all of my random stuff...I think that my need to carry my whole life with me daily is born out of some fear that I'll need something I don't have with me. It is also born out of slight laziness because once something has made it's way into the 'Everyday Bag' it may never see the light of day again....I don't clean it out often =) Keep in mind, will you, that I have NO CHILDREN!! Two bags, a purse, and a jacket or two and it's JUST ME!

It really is a shame that we aren't better friends with our neightbors...I should send them some popcorn and invite them to the 10 a.m. showing tomorrow....

My Priorities

I recently got a new email address....I had to in order for all of my emails to come right to my neat new phone that I got a month or so ago! ( I felt really cool and the stress of changing emails was worth it to feel really cool everytime my phone beeps that I have a new email....)

Well....it dawned on me today that I have never changed my contact email at my bank or any of the other important places that use it to send me bills and things...

I did, however, make sure to change it on Facebook.

*sigh*

Oh well...priorities are way over rated =)

On another note, Thanksgiving is NEXT WEEK. I love the holidays!! The music, decorations, food...what's not to love!!

I just hope that Santa, along with my bank, hasn't been trying to get me on my old email. At least he could have found me on Facebook....

His Goodness

So, this may be an elementary one for you but don't you just love it when God reminds us of His goodness to us...

I have just been so aware lately of His overwhelming goodness to me. Some of the reminder was birthed out a breakfast date I had a few weeks ago with a dear friend from college. We hadn't caught up in ages and it was so nice to able to share what had been going on in each other's lives. Well, as I told her all that the Lord has done with me in the past few years, I was simply OVERWHELMED by it all....

I mean, I know that i LIVED it but I don't know the last time I REFLECTED on it...the last time that I just reveled in it and was sufficiently in awe of it!!! The life that I get to get up and live everyday is so precious and so not one that I could have ever even dreamt up for myself! I thought that I had a perfect plan and, boy, was I charging away at the things I thought I wanted and needed....

God, in all His mighty wisdom, steered me away from all of those things and plans and saved me from , what I see now, would have have been a pure mess....or, at the very least, would have been less than He had for me...

and let me tell you......

I am forever grateful.

The title of this here blog is "Life on the Red Carpet".....it came out of a joke with some friends about how I live everyday "on the red carpet" (If you haven't, now is a good time to read the About Me part of this blog....I have a recognizable and borderline unhealthy fascination with all things celebrity....My sweet husband and friends deal with it and pick on me about it but, just for the record, whenever Britney had her breakdown, I was their fountain of knowledge....I digress...) How grateful I will ALWAYS be that the Lord didn't let me settle for just hanging out behind the velvet rope....